Man helping lost toddler beaten, shamed on social media, police say

Police say a Good Samaritan was trying to help a little girl who got separated from her parents, but the child's family ended up beating the man and calling him a child predator on social media.

A missing 2-year-old turned a Saturday at the ball field into chaos. But according to Lakeland Police, it was all a misunderstanding. They said Good Samaritan spotted the child and tried to help her find her parents.

"An independent witness didn't know the family or anybody said they saw him pointing out at different men, 'Is that your father?'" said Sgt. Gary Gross.

The Good Samaritan told police the little girl pointed at this park, so that's where he was taking her to find her parents. But the dad tells us all he saw was this strange man walking towards this parking lot with his daughter.